Need some input on the new range rules

Our club has finally reopened its pistol range after a hiatus of almost a year. We all obtained the new list of rules and I'd like some input on them. Thank you.

The Safety Plan for the Blackstone Valley Beagle Club Ranges

“This safety plan has been established to ensure the health and safety of those members who use or frequent this facility and the community at large. It is a plan developed to assure the continuity this facility through a concerted public relations effort.”

I. Gun Handling Rules
1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, down Range at a backstop or berm.
2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and outside the trigger guard, until ready to fire or until the command “Commence Firing” has been given.
3. Always keep the action open and firearm unloaded until ready to use.
4. Know your target and what is beyond.
5. Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
6. Know how to use the gun safely.
7. Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
8. Eye and Ear protection is mandatory on the range.
9. Use of drugs or alcohol before or during shooting is prohibited.
10. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Guns must be in a locked container when arriving and prior to departing the range.

II. General Range Rules
1. Know and obey all range commands.
2. Know where others are at all times.
3. Shoot only at authorized paper targets.
4. Ground level targets are not authorized. Maintain the proper target height to ensure that the fired projectile, after passing through the target, hits the desired portion of the backstop. This will reduce the possibility of ricochets and projectiles escaping the range.
5. Designate a range officer when none is present or assigned.
6. Obey commands of the range officer.
7. Unload, open the action, remove the magazine and ground and/or bench all firearms during a cease fire.
8. Check with the range officer and other shooters before going down range.
8. Do not handle a firearm or stand at the firing line while someone is down range.
9. Always keep the muzzle pointed at the backstop or berm. Never allow the muzzle to point in any direction whereby an inadvertent discharge would allow the escape of a projectile into an outer area.
10. Automatic firearms (machine guns and submachine guns), and firearms chambered for .50 BMG or derivatives, are prohibited.
11. Tracer, explosive, and incendiary ammunition is prohibited. Fireworks and explosive devices are prohibited.
12. All brass should be deposited in the buckets for recycling. All trash should go in the rubbish barrels.
13. Shooters are responsible for keeping the ranges and buildings clean.

III. Specific Range Rules

A. Trap range – Closed to all shooting
B. Rifle Range – Closed to all shooting
C. Pistol Range
1. Target Holders must be non-metallic. There are wooden target frames and bases available.
2. Shooting at metal targets of any kind is prohibited.
3. Target Holders must be placed in front of the backstop.
4. All live firing must be from the designated firing line.

IV. Administrative Rules

1. Hours: The ranges open at 9am Monday thru Saturday and 12 noon on Sundays. The ranges close one half hour before sunset.
2. ID: Shooters must have a club pin or membership card on their persons to use the ranges. Ask unknown persons for proof of membership. Report trespassers to a club officer.
3. Log: All shooters must sign in and out of the log in the clubhouse if the club is open. Otherwise, use the log at the range.
4. Guests: 1 guest is allowed per member per visit. If a guest utilizes a range more than 2 times that guest must apply to join the club, at which time that guest cannot use the range again until they achieve membership. Guests are the responsibility of the sponsoring member. If that guest violates any rules or is found to exhibit unsafe practices the member will be held responsible and will face the consequences.
5. Range Officers: Range Officers are members of the range committee or anyone on the Board of Directors or anyone having completed an NRA Range Officer course.
6. All motor vehicles must stay in the designated parking area. No motor vehicles are allowed on the range.
7. New members are not allowed to use the range until they have met with a range officer and toured the facility. This meeting will earn them 1 hour off of their required work hours.
8. Guns must be in a locked container or have a trigger lock in place when arriving and prior to departing the range.
9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm
10. Use of these facilities is a privilege. Any unsafe behavior or prohibited actions will result in suspension or expulsion from the club.
11. Douglas Fish & Game club members are allowed use of BVBC ranges. DFG members must adhere to these rules & regulations.
12. All Ranges are closed during the deer shotgun season, except Sunday’s.
13. All ranges are closed on the Saturday’s during the Pheasant season until 12:00 noon.
14. All ranges are closed on the Sunday’s during Archery Shoots until 12:00 noon.

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sevesteen

June 20, 2006, 12:46 AM

10. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Guns must be in a locked container when arriving and prior to departing the range.
8. Guns must be in a locked container or have a trigger lock in place when arriving and prior to departing the range.
9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm

The club I belong to is a cold range, but allows CHL holders to clear their carry gun on the premeses. Is CHL common where you are? There is also an exemption for action shooting, under specifically-defined supervision. We've got a pistol club that uses IPSC rules, as well as a bunch of cowboy action shooting

2. Shooting at metal targets of any kind is prohibited.

My range prohibits rigid metal targets, but allows spinners and such. This may be because the Cowboy shooters have had a very major hand in improving our facilities.

poppy

June 20, 2006, 10:18 AM

Most of the rules are typical for the ranges I am familiar with, however the "gun in locked case to and from range" is a little over the top.

You don't say what state this range is in, but does that state have locked case rules for transporting guns in cars?

YellowLab

June 20, 2006, 10:46 AM

Rules 10, 11, 12 suck and have nothing to do with a safe range.

Justin

June 20, 2006, 10:59 AM

Yeah, because there's nothing quite like litter that's been set ablaze by tracer fire.

Roadwild17

June 20, 2006, 11:06 AM

+1 poppy

geekWithA.45

June 20, 2006, 11:06 AM

5: designate a range officer.....

Sounds sorta vague, unactionable.

They way I've seen it done is that the first guy to the range winds up with the key, and is designated the RO until he hands it off upon leaving, or the arrival of a better qualified candidate.

It might be good to have an armband or something like that so that it's not ambiguous who the RO is at any given time.

WT

June 20, 2006, 11:37 AM

Our range has a set time period to change targets. Every 30 minutes, on the hour and half hour, a time out is called, firearms are put down and people go down range to examine / change targets.

During this time out, yellow flags are placed in the open receivers and no one is allowed to touch a firearm or ammunition while anybody is down range.

Locked boxes to and from the range is a little severe.

HankB

June 20, 2006, 11:49 AM

II. General Range Rules
1. Know and obey all range commands. . . .

6. Obey commands of the range officer. Isn't this redundant?

8. Check with the range officer and other shooters before going down range.
8. Do not handle a firearm or stand at the firing line while someone is down range.Numbering problem here.

10. . . . Guns must be in a locked container when arriving and prior to departing the range. This is nonsense.

8. Guns must be in a locked container or have a trigger lock in place when arriving and prior to departing the range. This is redundant nonsense.

9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm.No allowance for those licensed to carry?

yhtomit

June 20, 2006, 12:01 PM

I'm guessing that your "brass must be recycled" rule applies only to brass that the shooter himself is not keeping or giving to another shooter who reloads; is that true? If so, might want to clarify.

timothy

Lupinus

June 20, 2006, 12:16 PM

Seems mostly like other range rules but...

10. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Guns must be in a locked container when arriving and prior to departing the range.
Nonsense. My cases don't lock and cant be locked with a padlock, they are cloth cases. So to use your range I am supposed to go out and buy all new cases?

5. Designate a range officer when none is present or assigned.
Needs to be better defined, much better defined. How is one designated? What are the rules on being an RO? And how is the RO identified? My suggestion is simply have a simple class and registration process for those wishing to be RO's at the range.

9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm
Exception should be made for those with a CWP

gezzer

June 20, 2006, 05:02 PM

Time to find a new club. Looks like to many Fudds.

eagle45

June 20, 2006, 06:38 PM

I. Gun Handling Rules
1. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction, down Range at a backstop or berm.
2. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and outside the trigger guard, until ready to fire or until the command “Commence Firing” has been given. Sadly enough, I see these two broken regularly.

10. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons. Guns must be in a locked container when arriving and prior to departing the range. I agree this one is not needed.

II. General Range Rules
4. Ground level targets are not authorized. Maintain the proper target height to ensure that the fired projectile, after passing through the target, hits the desired portion of the backstop. This will reduce the possibility of ricochets and projectiles escaping the range. This one is important, richochets are more of a problem than most folks realize.

5. Designate a range officer when none is present or assigned. This one is too vaque, a lot of shooters won't want to donate their shooting time either.

8. Do not handle a firearm or stand at the firing line while someone is down range. Without a doubt the most broken rule at any range I've ever been at. When brought to the offender's attention, the phrase "It isn't loaded" or some variation thereof is sure to be heard. No one can get shot if you aren't handling it.

12. All brass should be deposited in the buckets for recycling. Except mine. :D

13. Shooters are responsible for keeping the ranges and buildings clean. It's a shame this one is needed, but it usually is.

III. Specific Range Rules
1. Target Holders must be non-metallic.
2. Shooting at metal targets of any kind is prohibited. Not the rule at my range but not a bad idea closer than 50 yards.

8. Guns must be in a locked container or have a trigger lock in place when arriving and prior to departing the range.
9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm I would also wonder if concealed carry is supported.

Just curious, did something 'bad' happen to cause the range to be closed for a year and the trap and rifle ranges to be closed?

distra

June 20, 2006, 08:19 PM

These seem a bit strict, sounds like Massachusetts. :rolleyes: Our club is safety conscious, but they also have common sense.

8. Guns must be in a locked container or have a trigger lock in place when arriving and prior to departing the range.
9. Do not arrive or depart the range with a loaded firearm

These two really don't make sense to me. I always come to the range with a load firearm. It does me no good if it's not loaded. :rolleyes: Do you need permits in your state to transport handguns? In CT you need a permit to purchase and transport a handgun.

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